It was past 11pm and I was getting ready to go to bed. The flowery perfume from my finely ironed bedsheet meant I was not ready for any drama. I just wanted to sleep. But no. Ghana’s august House would not allow me to. After all, it seems the time of journalists revolves around them. Until they are done with their debates and the show of physical strength, our pens cannot rest and heads can certainly not find the pillow.
It was supposed to be a decent debate that would show whether or not the government had some good policies for the people of Ghana and if indeed it had a good plan on spending Ghana’s money. But what we saw mostly was a show of physical strength and emotional screams.
The nature of the current Parliament usually referred to as hung Parliament drew the conclusion that it would be the greatest opportunity yet for balanced debates and a demolition of the old rubber stump House. But it seems the seeming blessing became an albatross still hanging on the necks of Ghanaians.
How could it have been?
A term used to describe the nature of the legislature in the Westminster system; a no majority meant that the MPs on the side of the governing party would do what it can to present the best arguments and bills as much as possible whilst the opposition members ensure that they properly scrutinise what is before them. It is probably known that a hung Parliament means the government would not have its way that easily and if the ‘minority’ wants to frustrate it, it would and do so gladly. But the problem I found is how the extreme partisan stance of our MPs has made this hung Parliament even more difficult than it should be.
Did they have to fight over the budget? Did they have to give blows over the E-Levy? Absolutely not.
My understanding of this was it seems this whole thing had become so personal and the stalk on which their lives remained that if they did not add their physical strength, they were doomed.
I remember shortly after that infamous fight that kept us all awake as if we were watching a Ghaliwood kind of movie live from Parliament, some others started posting videos of fights in other African Parliaments. Excuse me. What was the need for that? Do two wrongs make a right? And I thought everyone and institution wanted to compare itself and themselves with the best? So if your Parliament is fighting and it is being condemned, why would you show another act below the belt? To justify or for political expediency?
Some NPP MPs told us or should I say me that they did not originate the fight and that for them, all that they have wanted was for the House to work so we should blame the NDC which has a scandalous plan to continuously and without ceasing disrupt the work of the government. Okay. It takes two to tangle. The truth is that, every Parliament would have its issues just like every home and we all come from homes or maybe others from house. I bet you know the difference. Ouch. But certainly, we can let our actions be inspired by the “best” and I will not lecture you on which parliaments are the best. Google can help point anyone in that direction.
Maybe, a simple check on Australia may do. Correct me if I’m wrong. The last not so interesting scenes and words I saw and heard were when the then speaker was accused of sexual assault and he chose to resign after some unpalatable words in his own chamber. He chose to resign although an extra one vote kept his seat safe.
In less than 24 hours, our honourable 275 MPs would return to the House after a real showdown in 2021.
We were promised that the first fight would not repeat itself. And oh, we actually saw worse on the second which was on the E-Levy. I do not want to imagine that I had to queue in the scorching sun amidst strict COVID-19 protocols, ie, wearing the uncomfortable mask to vote for a representative in Parliament just so he or she would fight.
Building trust and mutual respect
Can we please stop this partisan accusations? Can we build trust and mutual respect? It is true that you are in Parliament because you won the election on the ticket of your political party; NPP, NDC, any other and in as much as possible you would want to please your party colours, because I know they could ‘mafia’ you at the primaries if they realise you are not a true loyal party person. But at least, if you rise above this and make a case for Ghana, you would be remembered for good.
And then the disappointing unity when a bill favours both; the ex gratia, police escorts when the ordinary Ghanaian is calling for better security and the public hypocrisy after closed door agreements, declaring ‘we know nothing about this’ or ‘you did not show us this detail when we met’. There seems to be so many interests our MPs have rather than that of the country. Time and again, there have been surveys on how bad the monetisation of our politics has become. The last I remember is from the CDD-Ghana. So whilst the MP is there, he or she needs to account to those who supported him financially and or in kind to get to the House, the shadow bill influencers who pump their monies into their private or collective stances and of course their party’s course.
Thirty years of democracy and having the legislature may not be as much as over 200 years for the United States of America but we can make something better out of it. I know. Please don’t refer me to the Donald Trump election era. We still remember it in November 2021 and the riot in the Capitol.
Greetings honourable Speaker of the House Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin. Wow, you have been speaking a lot. I did not see the reign of Daniel Francis Annan. He passed on in 2006. Where was I? Mmm, we’ll talk about that later. I also heard of Peter Ala Adjetey and I remember Edward Adjaho. “H*onourable members” , with emphasis on the *H and the soft-spoken Joyce Adeline Bamford-Addo. But those voices were heard in Parliament. I do not remember any outside of the House. I rest my case, Sa.
Papa Owusu Ankomah and the Inusah Fuseinis in the early 2000s including those who came in after the former President John Kufuor finished his term; talk of Ken Dzirasah, Steve Akorli; they showed some objectivity at least. So we have some good people to emulate; at least. In this not so popular Parliament, there is at least Mahama Ayariga.
I hope 25 January 2022 which marks the return of our honourables would give us some pride.
Beatrice Adu is the News Editor at Asaase Radio. She hosts The Big Bulletin.
You can get in touch via b.adu@asaaseradio.com
or claireadu@yahoo.com . On facebook, Beatrice Adu. Tweet at her @Beatrice4Adu
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